Our fourth trip to Big Bend during our stay in Terlingua, TX led us up the Chisos Mountains to a second visitor center. As you head up the mountain, you see the landscape change from desert to forest. It’s a slow change, but once you realize the change, you’re awestruck!

While reading up on Big Bend, we found out that from February through May each year, parts of the park are closed to protect the nesting Peregrine falcons . These incredible birds were listed as an endangered species until 1999 and are still considered a threatened species in Texas.

The Santa Elena Canyon hike itself is about two miles, but the first part of the hike is difficult to get to. We walked through a dry creek bed, then climbed up the 6’ tall sand walls of the creek bed to get to the trail. Once on the trail, it was a vertical climb up the north canyon wall with switchbacks in full sun and without much in the way of handrails!

Back at Big Bend National Park again! Today we decided to take Maverick Road (unpaved and not maintained year round) down to Santa Elena Canyon for a hike. We stopped at several locations along the way to the canyon, including Luna’s Jacal . It’s amazing that this mud and ocotillo built structure is still standing, as its resident, Gilbert Jacal, passed away in 1947 at 108 years old!

One of the things I always find interesting is the flora and various colors in the landscape. While you may think being in a desert would lack color, I found that the color was just very muted while in the Chihuahuan Desert . This photo shows a prickly pear next to an ocotillo cactus and various other plants.

Big Bend National Park and the surrounding areas are one of the DARKEST skies in any national park in the continental US. The rangers here put on an amazing evening program that allows visitors to view the night sky and learn about the stars and constellations.

While visiting Big Bend National Park , we took Grapevine Hills Road to Grapevine Hills Trail . The road out is about 7 or 8 miles and is not maintained all season. Once you get on the trail, it’s about 2.2 miles. The first 0.8 mile is pretty easy! A bit of up and down and uneven path, but very well traveled. After the easy part, there is a sign that the next 0.25 miles is very steep. It was CORRECT!

One of the highlights of our stay in Terlingua was being able to visit Big Bend National Park . On our first trip into the park, we waited in line for about 45 minutes to enter the park! There were a LOT of people at the Panther Junction visitor center , too. But once you got out into the park, it wasn’t crowded at all!

We love trying local places to eat wherever we stop! While in Terlingua we ate at two local places - Longdraw Pizza and the Starlight Theater. They were both excellent!